Chrono-ethologic investigations on the Queensland koala (Phascolarctos cinereus adustus) in captivity

Zoo Biology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 357-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cora Richter
Keyword(s):  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
In Captivity

Behaviour of the Koala, Phascolarctos Cinereus Goldfuss, in Captivity. 2. Parental and Infantile Behaviour.

1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 131 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Smith
Keyword(s):  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
In Captivity

2. Young koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) began to eat leaves after they left the pouch but before they left the mother's back. The oldest seen sucking was about 13 months old and small for its age. Young koalas still in or returning to the pouch, one of them 240 days old, were seen to eat faeces directly from the mother; adults did not practise coprophagy.

Behaviour of the Koala, Phascolarctos Cinereus Goldfuss, in Captivity. 1. Non-Social Behaviour.

1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Smith
Keyword(s):  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
In Captivity

1. Feeding behaviour of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) was observed at a sanctuary near Brisbane, Australia. They fed sporadically throughout the day, for a total of at least 19 h daily, on leaves; they ingested soil and gravel, and drank water when it was provided, but infrequently. Young were seen to leave the pouch at 220 days old and to eat leaves at 217 days old. None under 10 months old was seen to pull leaves forward before biting them.

Behaviour of the Koala, Phascolarctos cinereus (Goldfuss), in Captivity VI*. Aggression

1980 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Smith
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Aggressive Behaviour ◽  
Motor Pattern ◽  
Dominance Hierarchies ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
Aggressive Interactions ◽  
Single Motor ◽  
Low Level ◽  
In Captivity

'In a colony of captive koalas, all aggressive behaviour was a variation on the single motor pattern of throwing a foreleg around an opponent and biting. Squabbles (the most common aggressive behaviour) were brief, low level interactions usually arising from the efforts of one koala to climb past or over another. Minor fghts involved only single bites and the combatants stayed in the same place; major ,fights involved multiple bites and changes of position. Dependent young were seldom involved in aggression. Between males. minor fights were essentially intensified squabbles, but major fights involved wrestling and chasing; they were more likely between males unfamiliar with each other, or those already aroused by, e.g., other aggressive interactions. Females became aggressive especially during pregnancy and at the end of lactation. At such times they stood their ground and vocalized at other koalas, especially males, but attacked only if the opponent came within reach. Although the opponent usually withdrew. sometimes a male seemed provoked to attack. Males sometimes attacked females without obvious provocation. Aggression was slightly more common in than outside the breeding season. Competition for females or food, dominance hierarchies, appeasement, and the defence of young were not seen.

Behaviour of the Koala, Phascolarctos cinereus (Goldfuss), in Captivity IV.* Scent-Marking

1980 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Smith
Keyword(s):  
Scent Marking ◽  
Scent Mark ◽  
Sternal Gland ◽  
Displaced Aggression ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Rival Male ◽  
Agonistic Encounters

Male koalas scent-mark by grasping a vertical object, generally a tree, and rubbing the sternal gland against it. The behaviour first appears at 3 y of age, and reaches a peak a year or two later. It is frequently performed in conjunction with bellowing, especially in response to agonistic encounters or the bellow of a rival male, and often by itself in circumstances where a bellow might be expected. It is sometimes a response to unfamiliar surroundings or objects, and otherwise is performed by a male moving about a pen. Scent-marking may primarily be a response to unfamiliarity which, having become associated with displaced aggression, has been entrained to the bellowing drive.

Behaviour of the Koala, Phascolarctos cinereus (Goldfuss), in CAptivity V*. Sexual Behaviour

1980 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Smith
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Sexual Behaviour ◽  
Courtship Behaviour ◽  
Vertical Position ◽  
Agonistic Interactions ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
Penile Erections ◽  
In Captivity

At the height of the breeding season male koalas frequently attempted copulation. These attempts were often apparently spontaneous, but many followed bellowing or agonistic interactions. Sexual behaviour began at 3 y old in males, except for penile erections, which sometimes occurred in younger males. Males performed no courtship behaviour. Behavioural oestrus was brief, and consisted of four distinct types of activity: jerking, bellowing, mild aggression towards the male, and pseudomale behaviour. Oestrous females could become very excited by the presence of a male, and the four activities were very flexible in their expression. Copulation itself was quite brief and consisted of mounting, thrusting, convulsions, and disengagement. The pair were always in a vertical position in a tree, the male grasping the female's neck in his jaws.

Behaviour of the Koala, Phascolarctos cinereus (Goldfuss), in Captivity III*. Vocalisations

1980 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Smith
Keyword(s):  
Mating Season ◽  
Stimulus Contrast ◽  
Apparent Absence ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Weak Stimulus ◽  
Old Females

Vocalizations of koalas are classified as follows: squeak, the basic call of cubs; squawk, a sign of mild distress or aggression; low grunt, the response to very weak stimulus contrast; harsh grunt, of fighting males. All these are poorly structured, with many overlapping frequencies; they are not discrete but are linked by intermediates. The snarl, wail and scream are agonistic calls made by females: the snarl is brief and guttural, the others prolonged and well structured, with distinct harmonics; all three serve as defensive threats only. The bellow is the characteristic male call, and consists of a long series of deep, snoring inhalations and belching exhalations. It is most frequent during the mating season, and is fully developed at 3 years old. Females bellow less often and more softly. The context of all agonistic calls is analysed; those of females are related to the degree of excitement and the nature of the stimulus; bellowing is related to the presence or apparent absence of stimulus and the degree of motivation. Bellowing probably functions as a general broadcast vocalization, evolved from a call made during aggression.

Studies of the oestrous cycle, oestrus and pregnancy in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
SD Johnston ◽  
MR McGowan ◽  
P O'Callaghan ◽  
R Cox ◽  
V Nicolson
Keyword(s):  
Luteal Phase ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
External Genitalia ◽  
Oestrous Cycle ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
Pregnant Females ◽  
Peripheral Plasma ◽  
The Mean ◽  
High Concentrations

As an integral part of the development of an artificial insemination programme in the captive koala, female reproductive physiology and behaviour were studied. The oestrous cycle in non-mated and mated koalas was characterized by means of behavioural oestrus, morphology of external genitalia and changes in the peripheral plasma concentrations of oestradiol and progestogen. The mean (+/- SEM) duration of the non-mated oestrous cycle and duration of oestrus in 12 koalas was 32.9 +/- 1.1 (n = 22) and 10.3 +/- 0.9 (n = 24) days, respectively. Although the commencement of oestrous behaviour was associated with increasing or high concentrations of oestradiol, there were no consistent changes in the morphology or appearance of the clitoris, pericloacal region, pouch or mammary teats that could be used to characterize the non-mated cycle. As progestogen concentrations remained at basal values throughout the interoestrous period, non-mated cycles were considered non-luteal and presumed anovulatory. After mating of the 12 koalas, six females gave birth with a mean (+/- SEM) gestation of 34.8 +/- 0.3 days, whereas the remaining six non-parturient females returned to oestrus 49.5 +/- 1. 0 days later. After mating, oestrous behaviour ceased and the progestogen profile showed a significant increase in both pregnant and non-parturient females, indicating that a luteal phase had been induced by the physical act of mating. Progestogen concentrations throughout the luteal phase of the pregnant females were significantly higher than those of non-parturient females. Parturition was associated with a decreasing concentration of progestogen, which was increased above that of basal concentrations until 7 days post partum.

Avipoxvirus detected in tumor-like lesions in a white-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata)

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 818-823
Author(s):  
Juliana F.V. Braga ◽  
Rodrigo M. Couto ◽  
Marcelo C. Rodrigues ◽  
Roselene Ecco
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Protein Gene ◽  
Core Protein ◽  
Avian Species ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Histopathological Evaluation ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Avian Pox ◽  
Tumor Like Lesions

ABSTRACT: Avipoxvirus is the etiological agent of the avian pox, a well-known disease of captive and wild birds, and it has been associated with tumor-like lesions in some avian species. A white-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata) raised in captivity was referred to a Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Northeast due to cutaneous nodules present in both wings. A few days after the clinical examination, the animal died naturally. Once submitted to necropsy, histopathological evaluation of the lesions revealed clusters of proliferating epithelial cells expanding toward the dermis. Some of these cells had round, well-defined, intracytoplasmic eosinophilic material suggestive of poxvirus inclusion (Bollinger bodies). PCR performed on the DNA extracted from tissue samples amplified a fragment of the 4b core protein gene (fpv167), which was purified and sequenced. This fragment of Avipoxvirus DNA present in these tumor-like lesions showed high genetic homology (100.0%) with other poxviruses detected in different avian species in several countries, but none of them were related to tumor-like lesions or squamous cell carcinoma. This is the first report of Avipoxvirus detected in tumor-like lesions of a white-faced whistling duck with phylogenetic analysis of the virus.

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